Printing out backgrounds on web pages

[Bob Duncan]

At 02:17 PM 4/15/98, Rosemary Tarenskeen wrote:
>I'm trying to print a page with a gif background and an image 
>of one of our staff inserted on top of the background.  The image 
>prints out fine, but the background just come out white.  Does 
>anyone know what I need to do to have the background image prin

A request, a response, and a recommendation...

Request (actually, more of a reminder to us all): When posting any
browser(or other application)-related questions or responses to the list,
it would be helpful if references to browser(s), version(s), and OS are
included. (And precise version would be helpful, since (as far as I recall)
Netscape added the option to print backgrounds, e.g., in the move from 4.03
to 4.04.)

Response: In NC4.04/Win95 and NN4.04/Mac (the only two configurations of
which I'm certain, although I think IE4/Win95 supports), one can check
"Print Backgrounds" in the dialog resulting from selecting "File / Page
Setup." I'm pretty sure this capability was introduced with N4.04.
Background images as well as backgrounds achieved via body and table
element bgcolor attributes printed on my machines. And once the option is
turned on, it's on until someone turns it off. (Another public machine
nightmare.)

Recommendation: Don't publicize this capability, *especially* if using
color inkjets! (I tested with a B/W laser, so witnessed only greyscale, but
I'm assuming color printers will be more than happy to drench a page or 12
with full color.)

Bob Duncan


  ~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~'~
  Robert E. Duncan
  Reference/Instruction Librarian
  David Bishop Skillman Library
  Lafayette College
  Easton, PA  18042
  duncanr at lafayette.edu
  http://www.library.lafayette.edu/